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      "The Signs of a True Believer"
      John 10:19-30
      Theme:       A true believer is one whose faith rests in the person of Christ to save them, sustain them and ultimately deliver them safely to glory.

      1. They are Captivated by Christ – 10:19-27a

        1. The Agitation of the Unbeliever – vv. 19-26

          1. Jesus’ confrontation of the religious leadership as mercenary and self-serving created quite a reaction among the Jews.
          2. In addition, His laying open His heart and expressing the yearning that He has for intimacy with those that the Father has given Him had confused many.
          3. We are told that "a division occurred again among the Jews because of these words."
          4. Many were directly opposed to Him, claiming that "He has a demon and is insane" and rejected listening to Him – concluding that it is foolishness.
          5. Others were simply unsure what to do with Him – cp. v. 21
          6. This state of agitation existed for over three months (October – December) until the "time of the Feast of the Dedication [modern day Hanukkah] took place at Jerusalem."
            1. This is around time of the winter solstice (December 22) – "it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon …"
            2. We are not sure where Jesus went in these three months, but it appears that He had not been in Jerusalem – He had come back to continue teaching.
          7. It is now that "the Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, ‘How long will You keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly’."
            1. Jesus had declared His identity as the Christ to some, but not to all – cp. John 4:25-26
            2. However, Jesus refused to make such a clear statement of His identity to these Jews – to them, the Messianic role was a political one, that would result in rebellion against Rome.
            3. Had Jesus made such a clear declaration – even under such pressure, it would have been misunderstood,
          8. However, "Jesus answered them, ‘I told you, and you do not believe’." - It isn’t as though Jesus had not made it clear that He was the Anointed One sent from God – cp. John 6:29, 35; 7:37-39; 8:28-29, 56-58.
          9. The most clear demonstration and expression of who Christ is is the miraculous works that Jesus had performed – before their very eyes – "the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me."
          10. However, these people refused to believe – by so rejecting Him, they show themselves as outside of His flock: "But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep."

        2. The Attentiveness of the Believer – v. 27a

          1. In contrast to the unbeliever who cannot make sense of the voice of God, the believer is characterized by the recognition of the voice of the Savior
          2. When God reveals His truth to men, the ones who are of God’s "flock" embrace that truth because the recognize it as from God – "My sheep hear My voice"
          3. Amidst the cacophony of voices vying for men’s attention, the believer is able to pick out the voice of Jesus Christ and heed His instruction for their lives.
          4. The believer always wants to know "What does Christ say?" – and the only place this can be discerned is through the revealed truth of God found in the Bible.
          5. Consequently not only does the believer possess the ability to hear truth and recognize it, there is a inherent desire to hear it that keeps him turning to God’s Word for direction and instruction.

      2. They are Cooperative With Christ – 10:27b

        1. The Obedience of the Believer

          1. Jesus takes this a step further and declares that not only do they hear my voice, but there is a sense of intimacy that I enjoy with my sheep – "… and I know them"
          2. From this intimacy springs the desire on the part of a believer to obey the Lord – "… and they follow me."
          3. Because of the relationship a person enjoys with the Lord, they respond by yielding to the authority of the Lord and become "doers of the Word" – cp. James 1:22
          4. This "following" is not one of compulsion wherein people or threatened or coerced into compliance with Christ, it is one where (due to the exercise of the grace of God in their lives) they become overwhelmed by His love for them – cp. 2 Corinthians 5:14

        2. The Objective of the Believer

          1. Following Christ ultimately results in the believer becoming conformed to the image of Christ.
          2. To follow Christ is to listen to Him; to listen to Him is to understand Him; to understand Him is to know Him; to know Him is to love Him; to love Him is to obey Him; and, to obey Him is to be conformed to Him.
          3. We are told that we are to be imitators of Christ – allowing our lives to become conformed to Him as we grow in grace – Ephesians 5:1
          4. It is inconceivable for one to follow the Lord Jesus and then set one’s own course and direction – it presupposes cooperation and deference to the will of God – cp. Philippians 2:13.

      3. They are Confident in Christ – 10:28-30

        1. The Benefit of Eternal Security – v. 28

          1. Jesus describes His commitment to those who have been given to Him by the Father – He says: "and I give eternal life to them …"
          2. This describes a perpetuated benevolence on the part of the Lord Jesus – He promises to "continually give" eternal life
          3. The assurance of His purpose to deliver us safely to glory is seen clearly in the next phrase – "and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."
          4. The "eternal life" given is of such a quality that it cannot ever lose its flavor or essence it will never diminish into something less than eternal life.

        2. The Basis for Eternal Security – vv. 29-30

          1. Jesus promises to protect us first of all because of the imputed value we possess in that we were a gift to Him from the Father – "My Father, who has given them to Me …"
          2. Second, we are confident in His protection because there is nothing greater than God that could possibly thwart His will – "My Father … is greater than all"
          3. Third, we are confident in His protection because of the fact that God’s sovereign power is constantly sheltering us – "and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand."
          4. Finally, we are confident in His protection because the Father and the Son are absolutely agreed on the promised protection – "I and the Father are one." – cp. Colossians 3:3

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